In comparison to other sets that she's worked on, Cameron Diaz's work with Netflix was free of toxicity.
The actress and wine entrepreneur, who stars alongside Jamie Foxx in Netflix's movie Back in Action, appeared on the SkipIntro podcast last month, and discussed being shocked at how the company tries to ensure a healthy environment. Diaz, 52, took an 11-year hiatus from acting after being in the film adaptation of Annie, which also co-starred Foxx.
Around the 27-minute mark of the interview, Diaz discussed the entertainment industry being "so different" than it was before, especially in terms of sexual harassment.
"I definitely have to say that #MeToo changed everything. It’s palpable. You walk onto the set and it is different," Diaz told SkipIntro host Krista Smith. "It wasn’t just like the higher-ups [back then]. There was always just that one guy on set, that you were like, 'God, here he comes again.' There were always layers and layers of inappropriateness that you just kind of had to put up with."
She continued, "As women, you just had to [laugh it off]. Some people you have to be forceful with and put up the boundaries, and others you can’t give them the time of day."
Diaz added that she's never experienced HR coming to discuss "what is appropriate and what is inappropriate behavior" until working with Netflix.
"And there’s a hotline, which Netflix has, to call anonymously to report any issues that you might be feeling. Wow, that is amazing. The level of security of safety you feel as a woman now on set is. … I never felt that before this film."
Last October, Diaz was a panelist at Fortune's Most Powerful Women Summit, where she said that her break from acting was meant to "reclaim" her life.
"Nobody's opinion, nobody's success, no one's offer, no one's anything could change my mind about my decision of taking care of myself and building the life that I really wanted to have," Diaz said. "It really comes to: What are you passionate about? For me, it was to build my family."
Last month, Diaz and Good Charlotte guitarist Benji Madden celebrated their tenth anniversary. The couple shares two children Raddix, 5, and Cardinal, who were born via surrogacy.